Can CBD Help With Anxiety?
Anxiety is a normal ― and an even healthy emotion in many cases. It's your body's and mind's reaction to dangerous, stressful, or unfamiliar situations. But, when you're feeling disproportionate levels of anxiety regularly, it could indicate a medical disorder. If you're struggling with an anxiety disorder, you're likely experiencing excessive fear, nervousness, and worry.
Anxiety disorders alter how you behave and process emotions. They can also cause physical symptoms — like pain and fatigue. While mild anxiety may be subtle and unsettling, more severe anxiety can be debilitating, and affect your day-to-day living.
Around 40 million individuals in the U.S. are dealing with anxiety disorders. It's the country's most common group of health illnesses. But, only 36.9 percent of individuals suffering with an anxiety disorder actually receive treatment.
Some individuals have trouble finding the proper treatment for their anxiety. Because everyone has a unique brain chemistry, and different reactions to anxiety medication, the same anxiety treatment won't affect each person in the same manner.
A common anti-anxiety medicine is benzodiazepines, which manages your GABA neurotransmitter levels, and balances your anxiety levels. The problem with this medicine, though, is your body can build a tolerance to it quickly, and that could lead to overdose. Infact, each year, there are thousands of overdose deaths.
Many people are now looking for more natural alternatives to anxiety medication — and CBD is one of them.
CBD and Anxiety Treatment
CBD is one of many cannabinoids in the marijuana and hemp plants. Studies are being conducted on the potential therapeutic uses of CBD. While some people take CBD to ease their day-to-day worries, others use the cannabinoid to treat more severe ailments, like generalized anxiety disorder.
Physicians often advise individuals suffering with chronic anxiety to avoid marijuana, because THC can trigger and amplify anxiousness and paranoia feelings. But, a review from Neurotherapeutics showed CBD could help decrease anxiety in individuals with certain related disorders. The review found CBD could help reduce anxiety-related behaviors in individuals with conditions like:
- General anxiety disorder
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder
- Social anxiety disorder
- Panic disorder
The authors of the review noted that present treatments for these conditions could lead to additional side effects and symptoms, causing individuals to stop taking them. There isn't any definitive evidence that currently links CBD to negative effects, and the authors are requesting additional studies of CBD as an anxiety treatment.
Because of the lack of research, researchers aren't clear how CBD could help treat problems like anxiety. Some studies show along with affecting the endocannabinoid system, CBD could influence the receptors involved in serotonin regulation. Serotonin is a chemical messenger believed to play a significant role in anxiety modulation.
To date, most of the evidence for the effects of CBD has on anxiety comes from laboratory experiments and animal studies. However, the Neurotherapeutics report shows there is promise in the acute treatment of different anxiety disorders.
Also, Neuropsychopharmacology published a small study in 2011 showing CBD could ease social anxiety. There were 24 individuals with social anxiety disorder, for this study, who received either a placebo or 600 mg of CBD an hour and a half before they had to perform a simulated public speaking test.
There were also 12 other individuals with the same disorder, who were to perform the same test but without being treated with CBD. Results showed that pre-treatment with CBS substantially reduced cognitive impairment, anxiety, and discomfort as the individuals delivered their speeches.
How Anxiety Affects Sleep
Having your sleep affected by anxiety can be a frustrating routine. The minute your head hits your pillow, your mind starts to race. You're thinking about work, what's on your to-do-list, the cost of your child's new braces, and many other things. Suddenly you turn your head, and notice the time on the clock. It's already been a few hours since you've retired to bed, and you haven't slept a wink, thanks to your anxious thoughts.
Now, you could be having sleep difficulties because your anxious, or you could be anxious because of your sleep difficulties. Either way, anxiety and stress can cause sleeping troubles, or make current ones worse. And, a lack of sleep could lead to an anxiety disorder.
If you’re dealing with symptoms like difficulty concentrating, frequent restlessness, muscle tension, irritability, sleep problems, and lack of control over worrisome feelings, talk with your doctor right away.
Allowing an anxiety disorder to go untreated could cause physical medical problems, and affect your quality of life. If you’re considering using CBD to help manage your symptoms of anxiety, be sure you speak with your doctor first to ensure it’s right for you.
Sleep Better with an Anxiety-Combating, Sleep-Inducing CBD-Infused Pillow
For anxiety, a CBD and sleep treatment such as a CBD-infused pillow could help. With CBD-infused pillows, you'll not only receive the anxiety healing properties of CBD, but will also benefit from the cannabinoid's sleep-inducing effects. You sleep with pillows anyway, why not use one that's infused with CBD to ensure a peaceful, well-rested night's sleep?
Anxiety isn’t something you should have to lose sleep over. Let a soft, CBD-infused pillow gently wash away your worries, and lull you to sleep peacefully. Remember, even though its a pillow, it’s still infused with CBD, therefore you’ll want to talk with your doctor before trying one. After getting the okay from your doctor about using a CBD-infused pillow, grab yours here.